II. Today A. How many and where- 29 parks & protected areas 1. other nature reserves and wildlife refuges 2. ~250 privately owned reserves B. One of highest protection rates in the world C. How many people visit per year

A combination of factors including pressure from transnational companies for development and rapid population growth lead to increased pressure on natural resources in less developed countries. Therefore, deforestation and overall loss of biodiversity from these naturally rich areas have become a major issue in countries such as Costa Rica. To counter these effects, great efforts have been made both through public and private sources to incorporate national parks, marine parks, wildlife refuges, nature reserves, and private reserves in Costa Rica. Today Costa Rica has one of the highest protection rates of land in the world. Ecotourism now plays a big role in the national economy of Costa Rica. With careful management and planning a sustainable future is possible. However, there must be continued enforcement of sustainable practices and increased protection of land areas in order for this to happen. National parks and other protected areas play a huge role in this sustainable future.

Hearne, Robert and Zenia Salinas. “The Use of Choice Experiments in the Analysis of Tourist Preferences for Ecotourism Development in Costa Rica”. Journal of Environmental Management (2002) 65:153-163.